Protective apparatus



y 1945- s. T. FARRELL ET AL 2,375,984

PROTECTIVE APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1945' s. T.FARRELL ET AL 2,375,934

PROTECTIVE APPARATUS May 15, 1945. s. T. FARRELL ET AL PROTECTIVEAPPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 13, 1943 M y l945- s. T. FARRELLET AL 2,375,934

PROTECTIVE APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 15, 1945.

PROTECTIVE APPARATUS Filed March 13,- 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fi v V m r Bn n P in o rllllllllllflfflfi m a @N QN x Q 53% m. N o AEQN. M 9v m A 7II 8 bn mm A M6 "0 m @N I h Patented May 15, 1945 UNlTED STATESPROTECTIVE APPARATUS Sydney T. Farrell and Frederick L. Farrell,Belmont, Mass.

10 Claims.

This invention aims to devise an apparatus adapted for use in a greatvariety of situations to aiford a substantial measure of protection forrelatively small areas against bombing, or from enemy airplane attack.It is contemplated that this apparatus will be useful, for example, inprotesting gun crews, anti-aircraft batteries, aviation ground crews,Army headquarters, and many other units which are not too large for thepractical size limitations of an apparatus of this type.

Usually it has been necessary to depend on permanently fixed orstationary coverings of some kind designed to take the force of a bombor projectile head-on. These shelters rely on the relatively greatstrength and heavy mass of the material used. There are many situations,however, in which neither the time nor the opportunity to erect sheltersof this type is available, and Where there is, consequently, a need forsome protective apparatus that can be moved into position quickly andmoved on again when the need for it in that particular location hasdisappeared. It is one of the objects of this invention to devise anapparatus of this character.

To this end it is a further object of the invention to devise aprotective apparatus which will not depend so much on weight andstrength of material as upon the efiect of less weight revolving at ahigh speed. In the preferred construction the material is so disposed asto deflect or explode a bomb at a considerable distance from theprotected area, and also to aiford a secondary means of protectionagainst flying fragments, shrapnel, flash, and the like.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from thefollowing description when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with some parts broken away, of anapparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, somewhat diagrammatic in character, of therevolving arms and the upper part of the supporting means for them;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper end of the revolving unit;

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view taken approximately on the line4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5, Fig. 4

Fig. 6 is an edge view of a portion of the supplorting head structure atthe upper end of the s aft;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal, sectional view on the line 1--'I, Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a vertical, sectional view through the supporting means forthe lowermost series of revolving arms;

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views on the lines 9--9 and Ill-40,respectively, of Fig. 8;

Figs. 11 and 12 are edge and plan views, respectively, showing, on alarger scale, features of the lower series of arms;

Fig. 13 is a side view of the mechanism for supporting and adjusting theshaft on which the arms are mounted, some parts being broken away inorder better to illustrate details of construction; 1

Fig. 14 is a sectional View taken approximately on the line lA-M of Fig.13;

Fig. 15 is a similar view taken on the line l5-I 5 of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 shows a detail of the adjusting mechanism illustrated in Fig.13.

The construction shown in the drawings comprises a base 2, Fig. 1, whichmay or may not be mounted for vertical adjustment, as desired. Mountedon this base for adjustment about both vertical and horizontal axes, aswill later be explained, is a turn-table 3 supporting a structural steelframe work which is indicated, in general, at 4. At its upper end thisstructure supports an electric motor 5 which is provided with an elon-'gated shaft *5 extending upwardly above the motor for a substantialdistance and on which hub structures I and 8 are secured. These two hubmembers carry upper and lower sets of arms 9 and I0, respectively. Thearms of both series are of a flexible nature, but ,they differ verymaterially in their construction and in the functions which they areadapted to perform.

These two sets of arms are designed, when they are revolved rapidlyaround the shaft 6, to form a protective screen for the area below them.It is contemplated that the upper set of arms will be made of solid,relatively heavy, articulated members flexibly connected together andcapable of deflecting or exploding a bomb coming in contact with them.The lower arms I 0 are considerably wider and more fan-shaped than arethe upper arms, as shown in Fig. 2 and they are designed to provide amuch tighter screen than do the arms 9 so as to aiford good protectionagainst machine gun fire, shrapnel, and the like. It is practical tomake arms twenty or twenty-five feet, or more, in length so as toprotect a circular area of twice that diameter directly below them.

As best shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, each of the upper arms 9consists of a chain H carrying a book 12 at one end, by means of whichit is se cured to a cross-pin i3 forming part of a block 20 which is setinto a slot in the edge of the hub structure I, and a series of heavymetal sleeves H3 threaded on said chain and preferably having ball andsocket jointed connections with each other. At the outer end of thechain a disk-like body [5. Fig. 2, is secured thereto and holds theother members from being thrown off the chain. Any desired number ofthese relatively heavy arms may be used, eight being shown in theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 2. Preferably the members M areprovided with sharp'-edg'es,'as shown in Fig. 5, to assist in performingthe deflecting action above referred to. v

The hub structure T comprises a collar i6, 4, pinned to the shaft 6, aplate-like section I! secured to the collar, and a cap member I8 boltedor riveted to the part ii. These members clamp in position a series ofthe blockszll above referred to, and bars 2i lock the blocks againstmovement out of the sockets in which portions of each rest in the partIt, whileanother bar 22 in front of the bar 20 prevents the hook l2cooperating with it from swinging upwardly to any great extent above ahorizontal position. The upper member it also includes a'dome portionfitting overth'e top of theshaft 6,-and it'rnay be equipped with arms.such as those shown at 23, or other parts designed to 'assist indeflecting bodies which may strike them.

The lower arms Hi preferably are made up by welding sections of wirecable into substantially the form shown-in Figs. 2, l1 and 12. Each armincludes a heavy central strand -24 of wire rope with an outer bindingstrand 25 of the same material, and intermediate horizontal strands 25of filling material, usually of smaller diameter, which may :beinterwoven with the strands 24 and also, if desired, with those shown at25. In order to secure these arms H1 in their operative positions, eachis equipped at its inner end with an eye formed'around a grooved rollZLFigs. '8, 9 and 10. Each of these rolls is mounted on'a short shaft29, the ends of which are sup-ported in 'a'pair of bearing blocks 2'3,as best shown in Fig. 10. The hub member 8 on which these arms aresupported comprises'a cap 30, Fig. 8, and a lower member 3!, the latterbeing pinned to the shaft "3 which, if desired, may bernade inptwosections'divided at the center of 'the hub; as shown in Fig. 8, in whichevent the two'hub members will be pinned to the two respective sections.Both of these members are of disk-likeformjaind the lower member has aseries of slots '32 formed in its edge to receive the rolls 21, thewalls-of these slots being notched, as'indicated at '33, to take thebearing blocks 28. Screws or 1001175 secure the latter in place.

This arrangement, therefore, supports the arms for swinging movementabout the individual axes of'theirrespective rolls '2'! so that whentheapparatus is idle and the shaft is in its upright position, thesearms will lie beside thesha'ft or the frame work l. The two sections ofthe hub are riveted or bolted together, and the "entire weight of thishub structureand the loadwhich it carries, is borne by the framestructure 4, a set of anti-friction bearings '34 being interposedbetween'thes'e parts.

As above stated, the entire rotating'assembly is mounted for adjustmentabout botha vertical and a horizontal axis so'th'at it may be inclinedand. trained into the desiredposition to aiio'rd maximum protectionagainst the attacking force. For this purpose the turn-table 3 is madeintegral with, or is secured rigidly to, the ball 35, Figs. 1. 13 and 1and this ball is supported in a socket 3'5, Fig. 14, formed in the base2, and preferably is mounted on anti-friction bearings. A horizontalshaft 31 extends through the center of the ball and carries pinions 38and 38' near its opposite ends which run on a circular rack 40 supportedon the upper edge of the socket section of the base 2. Thus this shaftforms a horizontal axis about which the turn-table 3, and the shaftcarried thereby, may be tipped into different angles of inclination. Inorder to make this adjustment, an arcuate rack 4!, Fig. 13, is set intothe sphere 35 and pinions 42 mesh with said rack. "these 'pinions beingsecured fast on a shaft 48,

Fig. 16, which also has a worm gear 44 secured thereto and meshing witha worm 45, Fig. 13, fast on a shaft 46 which is connected through spurgears and another shaft with a -hand Wheel 47. Consequently,-byrevolving this hand wheel the ball '35, and the parts mounted thereon,may be turned around the shaft 31 into various angular positions. Theworm and worm gear, being irreversible, will hold the assembly in anydesired position of adjustment.

When it is desired to adjust the turn-table '3, and the parts mountedthereon, around a vertical axis, this operation may be performedb'yrevolving the hand wheel '53 and, consequently, the shaft 31. The pinion38 is pinned to the shaft, while the other pinion 38' is free on theshaft. Consequently, such rotation or the pinion 38 operates through itsengagement with the rack M! to swing the turn-table around a verticalaxis passing through the center of the ball 35. A brake mechanism is'operatively associated with this shaft to lock it against accidentalrotative movement. As best shown in Fig. '15, this mechanism comprisestwo arms 48 fulcrumed on'the rod 5 and. carrying inwardly directed pinsarranged to engage the outer surface of theshaft 31 on which the handwheel 53 is-secured. Another shaft 5il, Fig. 15, mounted'transyer'selyto the shaft 31, carries right and left-hand screwthreaded sectionsengaging the internally threaded lower ends of the arms or levers 8. Thelatter shaft also carries a hand wheel 5| and, consequently, byrevo-lving'this hand wheel in'the proper direction, the arms 43 may bemoved toward each other until thepins whichthey carry are caused to gripthe shaft 31 securely. A reversal of these operations releases thebrake. The same kind of a brake'c'an be used on the sh'aft' lfi, ifdesired.

For the purpose of giving the ball 35 the lateral stability necessary tosupport the shaft 6 and its load in differentinclin'ed positions, thesocket section of the base 2 is provided with horizontal grooves a, Fig.13, and the ball 3'5 has two heavy brackets 52-52 secured rigidly to itand provided with inwardly projecting ribs b which extend into, and havea running fit with, the walls of the grooves. Thus any tendency oftheiball to'rotate in the socket is effectually prevented by those partswhich connect the 'ball with the brackets and the interlockedrelationship of the brackets with the base 2.

In the event that it isde-sire'd to adjustthe'entire apparatus abovedescribed into different elevations, such an arrangement as that shownin Figs. 1 and '7 may be used. Itcompris'es a bed piece 55 having threelegs like those shown in Fig. 1 at 56 and 58 radiating therefrom andsecured rigidly thereto by removable pins 60, Fig. 7, so that theycooperate with the part 55 to provide a broad lateral bearing. Mountedto slide vertically through this base are two racks El, toothed on thesurfaces which face each other, and meshing with two sets of pinionsmounted, respectively, on the shafts 62 and 63. An intermediate shaft 63 carrying a hand wheel 65 and mounted in the base piece parallel to theabovementioned shafts, carries a worm 65 meshin with a worm wheel 6E5,fast on a shaft which is geared to both the shafts I52 and 63. Consexuently, by revolving this hand wheel the entire structure may be movedup or down and it will be held in its adjusted position by the worm andworm gear, these two parts being designed to accomplish this result. Itwill, of course, be understood that in using this adjustment a shaft orelevatorwell 61, Fig. 1, must be provided to accommodate the racks 6|This entire apparatus may be shipped to any point where protection isdesired for a relatively small area. such as any of those abovementioned, and it may be there set up and put into operation only whenneeded. Normally the upper arms 9 will hang down idly or be lashedagainst the shaft 5, and the lower arms l also may be lashed against theframe work with their springs 59 bearing against the bumper reinforcingpiece at shown in Fig. 1. But when the protection which the apparatusaffords is desired, the motor is started up, and as it gains speed, thearms Q and it! will rise until finally they assume approximatelyhorizontal positions, as illustrated in Fig. l. The motorshould havesufficient power to revolve the arms very rapidly. If bombs of thesmaller sizes drop into the path of movement of the heavier set of upperarms M, the latter will be practically certain to strike them and eitherdeflect them or explode them. Smaller bodies striking the apparatus fromoverhead, such as shrapnel, machine gun bullets, or even small bombs,will be caught and deflected by the much larger fan-shaped arms of thelower set It. Thus the apparatus will afford a very substantial degreeof protection against hazards of those types more likely to beencountered from overhead. At the same time the apparatus can beadjusted in the manner above described to point it toward the directionfrom which the attack comes so that it can be used most effectively.

Obviously this apparatus does not aflord any substantial degree ofprotection against very heavy bombs, and it is not intended for thatpurpose, but rather to provide a more mobile way of obtaining thatprotection customarily afforded by fixed shelters of some type. Thisapparatus can be readily taken down, moved to another location, andre-assembled, these operations requiring relatively little time. Theability toseparate the two sections of the shaft 6, as above described,is useful in accomplishing this object.

eliminate the white or grayish lookingfspin effect, but the camouflagingcould be done in such a way that the thing protected, such as a gunposition, Army headquarters, or the like, would be hidden from overheadview. For instance, the apparatus could be used to mask very completelyan isolated gun position, or if a planecarrier had several of thesedevices installed on it at various parts of the top side of the ship,they could be made to contribute very substantially to camouflaging theship and the planes mounted on it. This feature, however, is additionalto the primary object of protection,

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to claim as new is:

1. A protective apparatus of the character described comprising thecombination of a shaft, means for revolving said shaft, means forsupporting said shaft in a substantially upright position, and a seriesof flexible metallic arms mounted on said shaft at approximately acommon level to swing into radiating positions relatively to the shaftand serving, when said shaft is revolved rapidly, to form a protectivescreen for the area immediately below them, said arms being free to dropinto collapsed positions. closely beside said shaft when the shaft stopsrevolving. 2. A protective apparatus according to preceding claim 1, inwhich the supporting means for said shaft is operable to adjust saidshaft into various angles of inclination.

3. A protective apparatus according to preceding claim 1, in which thesupporting means for said shaft is operable to adjust said shaft aboutboth horizontal and vertical axes to shift the protective screen formedby said arm into various relationships to the area protected by it.

4. A protective apparatus according to preceding claim 1, in which saidsupporting means includes parts adjustable vertically to change theelevation of said shaft and said arms.

5. A protective apparatus of the character described, comprising thecombination of a shaft, means for revolving said shaft,'means forsupporting said shaft in a substantially upright position, and twoseries of arms mounted on said shaft, one above the other, the arms ofeach series being mounted on the shaft at a common level and adapted toswing into approximately a right angle relationship to the shaft and thearms of one at least of said series being of a flexible metallicconstruction.

6. A protective apparatus according to preceding claim 5, in which thearms of the upper series are of relatively solid and metallic butarticulate construction while those ofthe lower series are of greaterwidth circumferentially and are more flexible in character but are of ametallic nature.

. 7. A protective apparatus of the character described, comprising thecombination of a shaft, means for revolving said shaft, means forsupporting said shaft in a substantially upright position, a pluralityof series of metallic arms mounted on said shaft with one series aboveanother, the arms of the upper series being adapted to deflect a bodyfalling into them and those of the lower series providing, when inoperation, an approximately continuous protective screen and meanspivotally supporting all of said arms for swinging movement, whenrevolved rapidly, into raised and extended positions and said arms beingfree to drop into collapsed positions closely beside said shaft when theshaft stops revolving.

8. A protective apparatus according to preceding claim 7, in which thearms of the upper series comprise solid articulated and flexibly supported members adapted to develop a high degree of momentum, and thearms of the lower series are of somewhat fan-shape with theirlarger'ends remote from said shaft.

9. A protective apparatus of the character described, comprising a turntable, a shaft mounted on said turn table and normally extendingupwardly therefrom, means carried by said turn table for revolving saidshaft around its own axis, a series of metallic arms mounted on saidshaft to swing, under the influence of centrifugal force produced by therapid rotation of the shaft, from collapsed positions closely besidesaid shaft into radiating positions relatively to the shaft,

